


Nothing like holidays in Sweden

by beautyberry



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Christmas Tree, Dragons, F/M, Hermione Granger Saves The Day, I hope this is twisted enough, Love Confessions, No Smut, Sweden - Freeform, The Slytherin Cabal's Twistmas 2020, Twistmas 2020, not so dark twist, smugglers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-21
Updated: 2020-12-21
Packaged: 2021-03-10 19:15:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,167
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28222275
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/beautyberry/pseuds/beautyberry
Summary: Everything Hermione and Draco wanted, was to spend a nice week in Sweden together. Then Harry warns them about a smuggler on the loose and now they are out in the Swedish woods to cut down a tree because Theo and Pansy need alone-time...
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy, Theodore Nott/Pansy Parkinson
Comments: 11
Kudos: 19
Collections: Twistmas 2020 - A Dark Remix Xmas Fest





	Nothing like holidays in Sweden

**Author's Note:**

  * In response to a prompt by Anonymous in the [Twistmas2020](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/Twistmas2020) collection. 



> **Prompt:**
> 
> Cutting down the tree
> 
> First things first:  
> Thanks to the admin-team for doing this fest! I enjoyed writing this piece and hope this has enough twist. I'm still learning.  
> Then thanks to my beta anchoredto717 who straightened my word-choice and my spell-work (I'm sorry Prof. Flitwick!).
> 
> Then, Theo's talk in the beginning is adapted from NCIS because I loved the excerpt and wanted to use it in a story. I'm obviously not making any money with this.  
> And for reference, 0° Celsius is around 32° Fahrenheit!

Hermione watched the snowflakes gently falling outside the kitchen window. They danced through the air, drifting to the left and right and settled down on the thick snow blanket. She could hear the friendly chatter of Draco, Theo, and Pansy from the living room as she waited for the kettle to heat the water for tea. 

Draco and she had decided they wanted a perfect, white Christmas this year and had rented a house in mid-Sweden, close to the border to Norway. Not another soul for miles, just them, a snow-covered landscape, hot chocolate and a book in front of an open fire. The house had an amazing view over a frozen lake and if they were lucky, they could even spot the Northern lights. At least that was the plan. 

When Pansy and Theo heard of it, they wanted to tag along, audacious as they were. Theo had been over the moon, because, according to him, there's 'nothing like holidays in Sweden'. He had spent a few holidays up there with his unfortunately deceased mother and therefore held memories the others couldn't relate to. Pansy as his ...whatever they were, then, of course, had to follow and Draco was in a terrible mood for days because he rather wanted to spend the days alone with Hermione. 

Hermione had hoped that this trip would get Pansy and Theo to finally admit their feelings to one another as they had been dancing around each other for months now. They hugged too long to be just friends. They glanced at each other when they thought nobody was looking. Theo’s arm always found Pansy’s backrest, his thumb gently rubbing the nape of her neck. Pansy would always find a way to touch his arms or thighs. Hermione knew they already were at the “friends with benefits” part, but too dense to talk about a real relationship. They needed a nudge in the right direction and Hermione thought that a few days with only the four of them would exactly do that. 

This was also the only reason Draco had agreed with the other two accompanying them. He considered spending more than two consecutive days with Pansy and her high standards “pure torture.” He agreed under the condition that if Theo and Pansy didn’t date after the week he would lock them in a cell in Azkaban together.

Having arrived at the secluded home yesterday around noon,Hermione had already found Pansy sneaking out of Theo’s bedroom this morning, her raven-black hair dishevelled. Pansy only raised an eyebrow and gave Hermione a smirk when she saw her. Hermione thought it was an improvement because usually, Pansy would find an excuse to why it had been necessary to go and see Theo. 

The whistling of the kettle snapped her out of her thoughts and she poured the boiling hot water into the teapot. She set her wand to vibrate in four minutes and turned around again to gaze outside when she heard the floo activate in the living room. This house had a connection for cross-border floo calls, which she thought was quite a nice idea but might be annoying on Christmas Day with Narcissa calling. She wondered who could want something when Harry’s voice inquired after her. 

“Hermione! Harry wants to talk to us!” Theo called from the living room.

“Coming in a minute!” she shouted back. She could hear Harry asking the others how they liked it in the middle of nowhere.

She poured four cups of tea for them and, carefully levitating the mugs, walked to the living room. 

“Oh yes, we’re fine!” Theo assured. “Pansy is dealing with nature.” The witch in question huffed in the background. “I am dealing with too hard mattresses—” Hermione walked through the doorway to find Theo kneeling in front of the floo, rubbing his back overdramatically. Draco stood behind him, his arms crossed at the front. Pansy had made herself comfortable on the sofa, a fashion magazine on her knees. “Draco is ...well, Draco—”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Draco interrupted his best friend, a laugh on his lips. 

"Just that you deal with a lot of things.” Theo looked up and patted the blond’s calves in a mock-comforting manner. 

“The only things I currently deal with are you and Pansy,” Draco muttered and Hermione had to hold back a laugh to not spill the hot tea. Seeing Theo and Draco teasing each other in that way would never get old.

Harry looked up, his face visibly lighting up when spotted her. "And what are you dealing with?" 

She placed the tea on the small coffee table. “Oh, you know. Them.” 

She took two mugs and held one out to Draco who snorted a laugh at her answer and planted a kiss on her temple. Harry cackled and must have inhaled some ashes from the floo which resulted in a coughing fit.

“What did you want to talk about?” she asked him when he managed to breathe normally again. She wrapped her hands around the warm mug and took a sip. 

“Yes, sorry." He slapped his chest and cleared his throat. "Listen, I don’t think this is any of your concern, but I thought informing my off-duty Auror-partner—" he tried to look at Draco, who had to be slightly out of sight for Harry, "—would be best. The auror office received a note from the Swedish Ministry today that they are searching for a dark-artefacts smuggler who operates in Sweden and seems to be involved with Borgin and Burke.” He held up the note and she, Theo, and Draco inched closer to take a look at the moving black-and-white-picture. It showed a man, about 40 years old, with short hair. 'Magnus Karlsson' was printed in large letters under the picture, along with the last-known location and other personal info like blue eyes and light blond hair.

"Are they fucking serious?" Pansy exclaimed from the sofa. "Every other guy here looks like that! We're in Sweden. They're all blond and have blue eyes! Even Draco has an average hair-colour here!" 

"I'm afraid they are," Harry answered as he turned the picture to have a closer look himself. "Nevermind. Just wanted to tell you in case you see him." 

"Thanks Harry, we'll keep an eye out," Hermione dismissed her best friend. "Give my love to Ginny and Ron!"

"I will! Have a nice stay!" He waved his goodbye.

"Great, now I'm afraid of every blond guy between 35 and 45 here," Pansy huffed from the sofa. 

Theo stood back up and slumped into the seat next to her. "We're fine! It's not like he will be in this area. These smugglers are probably busy in the North, where it's dark all day and they can remain unseen." He slung an arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer to comfort her. “And I am here—” Draco coughed slightly to indicate he was the only trained Auror in the room, so Theo added: “And Draco is here. We will protect you.” 

Pansy nodded and clutched his shirt, digging her head in the crook of his neck. 

Draco shook his head at their display and Hermione rubbed her hand along his back. 

Theo looked up at Draco and Hermione. "Don't you two want to go cut down a tree for us? So that we're getting a little bit more of a Christmas feeling in here?" 

"Because the landscape isn't Christmassy enough," Draco deadpanned, as he gestured vaguely at the white scenery outside. 

"I would certainly appreciate it," Theo drawled. Hermione assumed he wanted to give his apparent idiot friend a broad hint. "Pansy needs something to cheer her up. And she loves to decorate. I’d better stay with her, just in case. So you two get a nice tree for us to set up." He waved them off. 

"I can't belie—"

"I think it's a nice idea," Hermione tried to knock sense into her boyfriend. She couldn’t tell if he was playing oblivious or actually being dense. She glanced at the clock over the door. They had about one and a half hours left before the sun would start to set at three o’clock, making it pitch-black half an hour later. "Let's go as long as it's still light outside." She dragged Draco out of the living room through the hallway into the vestibule.

"What are you doing? It’s damn cold outside." Draco hissed as she started wrapping her scarf around her and slipped into her boots. “I have no interest in getting a fucking tree. If he wants one, he can cut one himself.”

“Pull yourself together, it's only around zero degrees. We've had colder days at Hogwarts. I'm only trying to help them to get together.” She hissed back and threw his scarf at him. “Now hurry.”

Draco put on his dragonhide shoes and coat under colourful protest, sending her glares like a toddler who didn’t get his ice cream. 

When they were out the door, Draco must have decided it was rather nice being outside, because he sneaked his hands in her jacket pockets and pulled her close. She wrapped her arms around his neck and snuggled against his chest. 

"You know they wanted to be alone only to jump each other? Pansy isn’t really scared; she just likes the attention and Theo likes giving her attention." He nuzzled his nose in her hair.

"But if that's what it takes to finally bring them together, I'll gladly cut down a tree. I saw her coming out of Theo’s bedroom this morning and she didn’t try to talk her way out.” 

“So at least they’re making progress. I just hope they use the bedroom and not the sofa,” he remarked snappishly and shuddered. "And please tell me we weren't this pathetic when we danced around each other."

She grinned at the memories from four years ago, when they had been exactly like Pansy and Theo. Luckily they had Ginny, a friend who loved to meddle in others' businesses. The redhead had eventually, inebriated as she was, scolded Draco in front of the whole pub to finally ask Hermione out or to get a room because she couldn’t deal with the Merlin-damned tension between them any longer. Harry had tried to stop her, but then decided he didn’t want to get into trouble with his fiancée and that she indeed had a point. Draco had then asked Hermione for dinner the next day, his cheeks tinged from Ginny’s chiding. She had only answered with a nod because she was already on her toes, pressing her lips to his and kissing the wizard of her dreams. 

“Stop pouting.” She rose to her toes and planted a kiss on his lips. “If you behave, you might have permission to jump me when we return.” 

That turned his scowl into a smirk and he suddenly seemed a lot more content with the plan. “Now, do you know if there's an axe somewhere?" 

"I don't see one here but I guess there will be one in the shack over there." He pointed to the wooden red shed about 100 yards down on the other side of the property which had loads of firewood stacked on one side.

"But Mr Andersson told us not to go in there because it's his private stuff," she hesitated. The owner of the property lived down the street, on the other side of the small lake and she was afraid he might be out and see them sneaking around the shack he had requested them not to enter. She had no idea what he stored in there because it looked like a little more snow on the roof and a heavy gust might let the whole thing collapse. 

"It's just an axe! He will be fine with that. He seemed to be a nice bloke." He strutted over to the shack, the snow crunching under his feet. "Are you coming, chicken?" 

"I just think we should respect other peoples' property."

"Didn't hold you back from breaking into Gringotts!" he shouted over his shoulder, already close to the shack. 

She followed him with her arms crossed and stomped on the ground to make her point clear. Except that the snow-covered forest ground absorbed her stomps and Draco didn't even hear her protest.

The blond was already rummaging through the tools on the wall and waved over to her with an axe. "See, nothing to see here. Now let's go. It was you that liked Nott's stupid idea." 

"Fine," she huffed. "We should find one that fits into the house deeper down. Those are all too tall." She looked up at the majestic towering fir trees, the branches loaded with fresh snow.

They took a path to a clearing and then walked off the path in calf-deep snow. The forest started to become thicker and the scrubs denser. After peacefully walking and chatting for a little time, they finally found a tree that was small enough and well-vegetated, so laden with snow that the branches bent downwards. 

“This one looks great!” She shook it to remove the snow. “Yes, this one is perfect.”

Draco looked at the rather thick trunk and shook his head. “Merlin be damned. Everything for Pansy and Nott. I will kill them if they don't get their shit together." 

“Don’t forget your reward afterwards. Also, a tree is a nice addition for the holidays.” 

“Step back, ” Draco instructed her and searched for the best place to start chopping. She complied and Draco took the first blow with the axe which removed the last remnants of snow from the branches. A little of the white powder fell onto his neck and he tried to brush it off. “You’re lucky I love you, witch. I’m not getting snow into my coat for everyone else.” 

Draco took a few more blows and was almost through. She gripped the branches on the well-vegetated upper part of the tree to prevent it from dropping to the side and breaking some of the branches when Draco set for the last one.

That’s when she saw a shimmery silver-blue something, staring at her with large eyes from the inner part of the branches. Her first reflex was to pull away, but she was too slow. The thing had snatched at her wrist and bitten into it. She screamed and shook her hand, looking at the clear bite at her thumb and wrist. The pain immediately shot through her and she cursed herself for not wearing gloves. She was lucky it was only a flesh wound and no bones or strings were harmed. 

At her scream, Draco threw the axe away. The tree tumbled to the ground, completely forgotten. He clutched her hand in his. “What happened?”

“Something bit me!” 

“This looks like—” But he needn’t finish his sentence as a goose-sized baby dragon hopped out of the tree to bolt away and seek shelter deeper down in the forest. 

“A Swedish short-snout?” she wondered. “Don’t they live up in the mountains?” 

“Yes, they do. I hope the mother isn’t around. Let’s get you back to the house now and treat the wound." 

“I’m fine.” Hermione tried to ignore the burning in her hand that told her it was anything but. She remembered how Ron’s hand had looked like after Norbert had bitten him in first year. Fortunately, Swedish short-snouts weren’t as poisonous as Norwegian Ridgebacks and her hand would turn out fine with some dittany if treated right away. "I only brought pain-killing-potions with me but no dittany. We might ask in the nearest wizarding village. But take the tree with you, I didn’t want to be bitten for nothing.” 

“Hermione, I don’t think—”

“No, please. I would also love a tree.” She bent down and grabbed a little snow and put it on the wound to clean and cool it. 

“Okay.” He didn’t keep his eyes off her. “Are you fine to apparate?”

“I think so.”

“Alright, then we apparate directly to Andersson. Maybe he has dittany, otherwise I’ll go to the nearest village and get some.” Draco shrank down the tree to a comfortable travel-size and held it tight while Hermione took his other hand. Draco spun instantly on the spot and she felt the familiar tug in her body. 

When they appeared close to Andersson’s door-step, the sun was already setting at the horizon. Draco threw the shrunken tree on the ground to have his hands free and stalked up to the door. He pressed the doorbell, then turned to knock furiously on the wooden door when nobody answered.  
After a minute that felt like hours, they heard babbling from inside that must have been Swedish. 

Their lessor, a tall man with chestnut brown hair and beard and strikingly blue eyes, opened the door. “Oh! It’s you! Is everything okay?” 

“No!” Draco yanked up Hermione's arm to give Andersson a look at her hand and she blinked the pain away that shot through her. “We made acquaintances with a short-snout baby when we were in the forest.” 

Andersson seemed petrified of the news of a loose baby dragon in the area. He scratched his dark lumberjack-beard. “What? Here? ...Where?” He looked concerned. “Let me have a look at your hand.” 

Hermione held out her hand. He scowled when he saw the wound. 

“Wait here, I think I have dittany somewhere.” He left them at the door and they could hear him rummaging through cupboards and drawers. He returned with a vial in his hands. “Here it is!” 

Draco took it from him and after unscrewing the cap, put a few drops on her wrist. The pain immediately lessened and the skin sealed itself. It felt delicate and fresh and she didn’t dare to move it too much. 

“I’ll go into town to find something to help to prevent scarring.” 

“Thank you so much, Mr Andersson.” She carefully stroked over the light skin part. 

He paused at the door. “About the dragon. Can you tell me where you found it?”

“About 500 yards north of the clearing, when you follow the path from the shack,” Draco explained. 

“Why did you even go that deep in the forest? You have no idea what other creatures might lurk in it.”

“We wanted to cut down a Christmas tree for us. By the way, we took an axe from the shack. Sorry about that!” Hermione answered truthfully to ease her bad conscience. "We hoped you would be fine with it."

“From my shack?” he asked worriedly. There was a glimmer in his eyes she couldn’t quite place. 

She nodded.

“Did you go in there?”

“No—” she began, but Andersson already exhaled visibly and interrupted her. 

“Alright. I was worried you went in. There’s so much clutter in there, you’d probably injure yourselves. So stay clear from there from now on.”

“Ok, we won’t go there again. Thanks again for the dittany and the help.”

“I’ll see you later today.” He hastily shut the door and after they had collected the tree, Draco apparated them back to the house. 

He made sure she was fine when they turned up at their house's front door. “Please tell me you also found it odd that he seemed flustered when you told him about the shack? I’m sure there’s something in there we’re not supposed to see.” He resized and levitated the tree as Hermione searched for the keys. 

“No Draco, you’re on holiday. This is none of our business. I want some relaxing Christmas days with you. He said the place is a mess, so that’s probably all.” She opened the door and they entered, putting the discussion to rest. The least she needed now was her auror-boyfriend going over the top and arresting someone because his shack was cluttered. 

“Oh, you’re back! Just in time for afternoon tea,” Pansy peeked through the kitchen door. 

“Exactly what I need now." Draco rubbed his hands. "Did you calm down yourself?”

“What? ...Oh, yes, I did. I’m fine now. Theo comforted me.” Theo came up behind her and put a hand on her shoulder. She smiled up at him.

“I bet he did,” Draco drawled from behind Hermione. Theo smirked whereas Pansy looked like she deeply wanted to change the topic.

Her view fell on Hermione’s hand, the fresh skin conspicuous in the light. 

“Oh, Merlin! What did you do?” She took a closer look and flinched. 

“A baby dragon bit me.”

“A what?!” Theo exclaimed.

“A baby Swedish Short-Snout, it sat in the tree we cut down. But we already had it treated with dittany by Mr. Andersson so I’m fine. He’s also trying to get something to prevent the skin from scarring and should be here soon.”

“Sweet Salazar. May I?” Pansy brushed her thumb against her skin.

“It’s okay, it only tried to protect itself. Now, about the tea. I’m chilled to the bone.” 

“Served in the living room, my ladies.” Theo curtsied and held out his arm towards it.

Hermione led the way and slumped down on the sofa.

Pansy followed with the tea, instructing the boys how to carry the tree. They leaned it on the wall in the corner and joined the girls on the sofa and armchairs. For a few minutes, they only watched the nature outside, enjoyed the warmth of the fire, and sipped their tea. 

Shortly after they had finished it, there was a knock on the door.

“That must be Andersson.” Hermione stood up and went to open the door. 

Draco followed her. “I’m not leaving you alone with him.” 

“Hejsan,” he greeted them, holding out a tube to Hermione. “I hope you feel better? I got this from our magical apothecary in the village. It’s coat flower and calendula salve. That soothes the new skin and helps to heal it. Apply it three times a day and try not to move your hand in the next few days,” he explained in his Swedish accent. 

Draco sized him up for any nervous behaviour. 

“Thank you, Mr. Andersson!” She happily took the salve.

“And I thought if you want to decorate the tree, there are my wife’s old ornaments in the storage cupboard next to the kitchen. It’s a box with ‘Jul’ written on it. Help yourselves.” He stepped back to indicate he wanted to leave. 

Draco held out his hand and Mr. Andersson shook it. “Thank you so much, Mr. Andersson.”

“You’re welcome! I hope you still like it here, after everything. Merry Christmas days to you and you know where to find me if you need anything.” With that, he left and they returned to the other two in the living room. 

Theo had already transfigured a tree stand and Pansy currently directed him how to best put it up so that the tree sat up straight and the best side would be up front. 

Draco chuckled and quietly whispered in her ear. “Not even a couple but already married for a decade.” 

“Be nice!” Hermione snickered and smacked him on the arm. She walked up to Pansy, informing her about the ornaments Andersson had mentioned. 

“I’ll go and get them,” Theo announced. He was probably happy to escape Pansy’s orders. “Draco is way better at setting up the tree, he has more experience.” 

"Nott, let me out of this! It was your fuckin' idea. Just because Hermione made me do this for years it doesn't mean you can't suffer one time." But Theo was already out the door, pretending not to hear him and Draco grumbled but set up the tree with Pansy. 

Hermione followed Theo to the storage cupboard. The box sat on the top shelf, stuck between other boxes and clutter, so accioing would pull out every item on the shelf. They found a step-ladder on which Theo climbed and he started to jiggle it to get the box out.

"Oh, come on!" He swore and tried to pull harder at the box-handle. The box finally moved and caught Theo off-guard. He missed the step and tumbled down on the floor, the box flying in Hermione's arms. 

"Oh my God! Are you okay?" She knelt next to him to check his leg. 

Pansy zoomed into the hallway and crouched on the other side of Theo. "What happened?!"

"I think I sprained my ankle," Theo managed to utter with his teeth bitten together in pain. 

"Can you get up?" Draco made his way to the dark-haired wizard and held out his hand. 

"I'll go and get some ice and I have pain-killer-potions with me." Hermione left for the kitchen. 

When she had collected everything, Pansy and Draco had managed to get Theo on the sofa in the living room. Pansy was already fussing over him while Draco sat in the armchair, enjoying himself in his friend’s misery. 

"See, that’s what you get!" Draco announced, one foot propped up on the other knee. "If we had just stayed inside and not gotten a damn tree, everyone would still be fine." 

"Don’t be so mean!" Hermione scolded him as Theo let out a whine when Pansy turned his ankle. She sat down in Draco's lap and he pulled her close. 

"How is your hand?" He inspected the skin, gently brushing over it. 

"It still hurts a little and I probably should give it some rest tomorrow, as Andersson said. But it should be fine on Christmas day."

He nuzzled his nose in her hair and murmured, his lips brushing her ear. "What about the jumping-you thing you promised me?" 

"That's what you think about?" She mock-scolded him. He was impossible. "I was bitten by a dragon and your best friend fell off a ladder!"

"To be fair, it was a baby-dragon and the step-ladder wasn't very high." He quirked his eyebrows in the way he knew would always make her knees weak. 

"If you help me I will see what I can do after dinner." She got up from his lap, which made him growl and went for the kitchen to prepare dinner. 

☆☆☆

The next morning after breakfast, Draco and Pansy left to go ice-skating on the lake, whereas Theo and Hermione decided to better stay inside and rest. They watched Draco and Pansy in the beginning, but as they grew more confident on the ice and didn’t slip that often, it grew boring and they started to play exploding snap, accompanied by chatter and banter. 

"I'll go and make some tea?" she asked after they had finished the fifth round and she felt how her toes went cold because she hadn’t moved them in at least an hour.

"Yes, please! I'll go outside and get a few logs for the fireplace."

"No Theo, you don—"

"It's okay! Your pain potions help and I'll levitate the logs," he assured her and hobbled to the door. 

When she was done with the tea and Theo still hadn't returned, she decided to have a look outside and give him a helping wand.  
She stuck her head out the door and found him stacking up the wood.

"What are you doing? Didn't you say you're back in a second?"

"Yes! The stack fell over and I had to re-stack it. I'm coming!"  
He put some wood in his arms and came inside, wiping his feet on the doormat. 

"Doesn't that hurt?"

"What? No, it's okay," he shrugged. 

She wondered briefly, but he had said he was already feeling better and the pain-killer-potion worked in his body. 

They went back into the living room where Theo put a few logs in the fireplace and stacked the rest in the tray next to it. 

She went to the armchair across from the couch, snuggling into a blanket and enjoying the dance of the flames. She remembered the tea was still in the kitchen and made to get up. "I forgot the tea in the kitchen!"

"I'll get it, don't worry. You're already snuggled up. Will the others be coming in soon?" He stood up and went to the kitchen, his walk surprisingly even for his sprained ankle and a silent voice in her head raised doubts that this might not be the real Theo. She surveyed him without him noticing and drew her wand from her side-pocket. At least it wasn’t her wand arm that was injured. She pulled the blanket a little to the side to have the wand ready for use in case her suspicions became true. She hoped Pansy and Draco would come back soon and would try to stay calm and engage him in conversation. 

'Theo' came back with two mugs and held one out to her. If she moved, she would blow her cover with her drawn wand so she dipped her head to the table. "Can you put it on the table? It's still too hot for me." 

He complied and sat down on the sofa opposite her.

She tried to breathe evenly and act naturally by talking about Hogwarts. 

"You remember divination with Professor Binns, when we had to read tea-leaves?" she casually asked him when he was swirling the tea in his mug. 

"Oh yes, that was awful." He blew his tea and took a sip. 

"What was he again? A centaur?" She scratched her chin.

He drew his eyebrows together in question. “Yeah. What else should he be? A ghost?” 

She breathed harder, afraid the intruder might recognize she knew. Draco and Pansy had to be back soon, it would get dark soon. She forced out a little laughter to make intruder-Theo feel safe and mouthed a silent incarcerous. The blanket ripped away from her and ropes flew from her wand, binding 'Theo' in ropes. To be safe, she upped the ante with an expelliarmus and his wand flew in her lap. 

She pointed her wand at him. “Who are you?” 

“I’m Theo!" He wriggled in the ropes on the couch. "Let me go!” 

“You're not. What did you do to him? Where is he?” 

“I am right here! Is this a joke or something?!” He didn't give up and tried harder to work against her ropes. 

"The real Theo would have known that Professor Binns didn't teach divination, even if he is indeed a ghost. So I ask you once more before I call the Aurors. Who are you?" She cast a Finite Incantatem but Theo’s look didn’t change. So the intruder had probably used polyjuice. 

He stopped struggling and his whole demeanour changed. "Wouldn't you like to know you snoopy little—" 

"I can sit here all day and wait until the polyjuice wears off, I guess. Given the time, it should take only half an hour, at last." 

"Oh yes, that still won't bring back your friend. You know, he was the easiest. The two other were a little harder but nothing I couldn't handle."

Her heart nearly jumped out of her ribcage. How had he overpowered Draco, a trained auror? She had to breathe. She had to think. She had to keep him talking if she wanted to get out safely. Draco had once told her that many suspects loved to talk about what they had done if one only asked the right questions. 

"Why?"

"Oh, sweetheart. You were too close to finding out. Not your two black-haired friends. But the blond and you. Snooped around a little too much. So I stunned your two ice-skating friends—"

"You're lying. They are still out there." Draco and Pansy had to be fine. She would have heard one of them screaming if something had happened. She looked out the window but couldn’t see them on the lake. That either meant they were on their way back or whoever sat across from her was right. 

"Do you see them?" He laughed at her while she desperately looked for a sign of Draco or Pansy. "Told you." His barking laugh echoed through the room, the fire crackling in the background. “You’re all alone with me.” His eyes sparkled.

She gulped. It wouldn’t help now to act hastily so she decided to keep him talking. “How?”

“Your boyfriend and the girl were the hardest to take. When I had stunned him, she fought and struggled like hell. But a perfectly placed Stupefy froze her. Then I looked for a way to get into the house, that’s when the other guy came outside. I figured that was my chance. I overpowered him and thought the only way to get to you would be to polyjuice into him. I brought your friend away and went back to the wood-stack. That’s when you stuck your head out of the door. It was perfect timing, really.” 

She laughed a hollow laugh. “Still you’re the one in ropes here.” 

“You’re a little fighter, right? Don’t worry, my partner will be here soon.” He wore a smug smile which stopped when his hair started to change. Theo’s mop of curly, black hair vanished and got shorter and a few shades brighter. She had seen that particular shade somewhere. Then, his body shuddered and, though it stayed the same height, became a more slender figure. His face grimaced, changing from Theo’s features to someone she knew. She found herself eye-to-eye with Andersson, their helpful lessor. 

“Draco was right,” she whispered more to herself than to him. “You are the smuggler they are searching for. They have the wrong photo of you. Did you use glamours or polyjuice into someone else?” 

“What smuggler? No, you came across my dragon. My partner and I breed them. That beast has escaped me but you were bitten and turned up directly at my house—” He was interrupted by the opening of the front door. 

She could hear Pansy ranting about it being too bloody cold and too damn dark too damn early. Hermione scrambled out the living room to find her boyfriend’s best female friend struggling with her scarf. She drew her wand and held it in front of Pansy’s face, silently pleading it was the real one. 

“Hermione, what are you doing?” Pansy held up her hands. 

“When did you and Draco start dating?” 

“You know that, why—what is going on?” Pansy asked flusteredly. 

“Pansy, just answer the question.” She gripped tighter around her wand, holding Pansy at wandpoint. 

“After the Yule Ball in fourth year, where he still gawped at you for no reason at all.” She crossed her arms in perfect Pansy-manner. 

Hermione lowered her wand and hugged Pansy tightly. 

“Ouf—” the raven black-haired witch let out, taken by surprise by Hermione’s affection. She blew a few strands of Hermione’s hair out of her face. 

Hermione pulled back, looking around. “Where’s Draco?”

“Outside, fetching fire-wood. What the hell is going on?” 

“I have Andersson tied up on the couch after he polyjuiced into Theo before tea today. He’s some illegal dragon breeder and says he has a part—” She couldn’t finish the sentence as Pansy rushed into the living room, grabbed a bone China vase from the mantle and knocked out their lessor. She stood there, panting. Andersson had seen her coming and tried to wriggle out of his bonds. 

“Pansy! What have you done? Theo’s missing and I had him already talking.” The search would take even longer and if they revived him he wouldn’t tell them anything after this incident. 

“Oh fuck! I just… I showered with Theo after our breakfast tea. Oh, Salazar! I took a shower with another guy!” She dragged her hands through her face and started to sob. 

“Calm down.” Hermione put her hand on Pansy’s shoulder, signalling her to breathe. “It was right before tea with me this afternoon, I’m sorry it came out wrong. Theo was himself until one hour ago.” Pansy whimpered. “Now let’s go get Draco and find Theo!”

“I—what—Theo,” Pansy seemed to be in a state of shock, Hermione had never seen her this way. 

“Pansy, breathe. He will be fine. But we have to find him soon, it’s freezing outside.” She tugged at Pansy’s hand and towed her behind her out the front door. 

They ran into Draco who had a couple of logs in his arms which tumbled down.  
She drew her wand again, and even if she was sure that this was her boyfriend she was better safe than wandless. 

“Where was our first date?” 

"Hermione, what is going on?” Draco held up his hands in defeat like Pansy had earlier. When Pansy also drew her wand, he finally saw reason to answer. “I took you to that restaurant you always wanted to go to.“

"No, I meant where did we really spend our first date?"

"At St. Mungo's because I had a stomach bug from eating curry for lunch," he pressed out because they had an agreement of non-disclosure about that part of their date. 

She forgot about everything for a second and kissed Draco hard, while he stood completely still except for his lips which were kissing her back. When she pulled back, she saw that Pansy looked like Christmas had come one day earlier than expected. 

Draco didn’t miss her expression as well. "Pans I swear, if you tell anyone I'll tell them about your thing in fifth grade,” he scolded her. Pansy’s lips turned into a scowl and Draco turned to Hermione again. “What happened?” 

“Andersson kidnapped Theo and we are trying to find him. You were partly right. He’s an illegal dragon breeder. He polyjuiced into him and tried to—I’m so glad you’re here.” 

“Granger, you’re not making any sense. Breathe!” He was in auror-mode now. “Did I get it right that Theo’s missing and Andersson polyjuiced into him?” 

She nodded. 

“Let’s check the shack! I knew there was something foul about him.”

They raced to the shack, the snow crunching under their feet.  
When they finally stood in front of the locked wooden door, Draco cast a Homenum Revelio. A faint glow was visible from inside and Draco made short work, casting a Bomborda on the door. They ducked down to seek shelter from flying debris and splinters. Pansy was the first to get back up and sprinted into the shack, desperately yelling Theo’s name. 

Hermione and Draco followed shortly but were diverted from a rattle on the left side.  
There, in a barely big enough cage, sat the dragon baby which had bitten Hermione. It was tied to the cage with a chain around its ankle. It blew out blue flames, frantically trying to get out of the cage.

Draco tugged on her arm as she stood there, stone-still. “Theo first,” he drew her to the direction the glow had come from. 

Pansy had already found Theo. He lay unconscious on the ice-cold floor. Pansy dropped to her knees, bursting out crying. She cradled Theo’s head in her lap, sobbing and pleading him to not be dead. She looked around imploringly, catching Hermione’s gaze. 

Hermione walked up next to Pansy and took Theo’s wrist. She had to calm down to be sure it was Theo’s pulse she felt and not her own. His skin was cold, but there was a low pulse.  
"I feel a low pulse! He’s still alive!”

Pansy sobbed uncontrollably. Draco stepped in and lifted Theo in his arms, carefully carrying his friend out of the blasted doors to the warm house. 

Hermione helped Pansy to get up. When the witch stood, she wrapped her in a hug and spoke softly. "He will be okay. He will turn out fine. He's been through worse." She gently rubbed soothing circles on Pansy's back who calmed down.

"I know. I love him. But he almost had to die for me to admit that." She took a deep breath and rubbed her eyes. 

"Then tell him when he’s awake. He needs you now." 

Pansy nodded and they trotted back inside. 

Draco had placed Theo onto the sofa. Andersson lay on the floor in front of the fireplace, still unconscious. Draco kneeled beside the sofa and sorted through Hermione’s small potions bag. “I put a warming charm on him and his pulse is steadying. We need to revive him so he can drink a strengthening-potion. He was only stunned, nothing else. I already checked.” He looked at Hermione. “Can you revive him? I’ll send a Patronus to Potter so he can inform the Swedish Ministry. I’ll be back in a second.”

She nodded. She was thankful Draco knew how to handle this situation, she was a little out of practice with the war being over for more than seven years. Draco got up and left the living room to be undisturbed.

Pansy took Draco’s place on Theo’s side. She took his right hand and cupped his cheek with her other, gently running her thumb alongside it. Hermione stood next to Pansy, carefully casting the Renervate. Theo’s body slightly untensed, but his eyes remained closed. 

“Theo, you can’t die.” Pansy clenched his hand so hard, her knuckles were white. “I—I love you,” she breathed against him, barely audible. 

“I love you too, Pans,” Theo answered huskily. He opened his eyes and tried to locate where he was. Pansy flung her arms around him and sobbed in relief. He hemmed, breathing out a shaky breath. “What’s going on?” 

Hermione handed him the strengthening potion. “Here, take this.” 

His eyes wandered to her. “Oh, hi, Granger. Haven’t seen you.” He tried to sit up a little and looked at the vial she held out to him, but Pansy still clung to him, probably not letting him go for the next hours. “Strengthening potion? Can anyone tell me what happened? The last thing I remember was going out to get firewood.” He put his arms around the witch on his chest, rubbing his hands up and down her back.

“I think Hermione can explain best what happened.” Draco had re-appeared in the doorway, leaning casually against it. “But you take the potion first. I’m glad you’re awake.” 

Theo took the potion from Hermione and downed it, as far as it was able with Pansy across his chest. 

Hermione explained everything that had happened. When she came to the part where Pansy knocked out Andersson, he proudly looked at her. 

“You did?” He brushed his thumb across her cheek, wiping away the last of her tears. 

Pansy nodded. “I thought he polyjuiced into you earlier and I showered with him.” She shuddered. 

Theo smirked. “No, that was me.” He stroked a strand of Pansy’s hair behind her ear and cupped her neck. 

Hermione joined Draco in the doorway and placed her head on his chest, closing her eyes and inhaling his calming scent. He kissed the top of her head and just held her. 

“I wonder if Theo still thinks there’s nothing like holidays in Sweden?” he mumbled into her hair. 

She chuckled and opened her eyes again to look at Theo, who cried out in pain as Pansy accidentally bumped against his ankle, and back at Draco. “Probably yes.”

**Author's Note:**

> No dragon was harmed in this story!  
> Also, Swedes are usually nice and don't polyjuice into your friends and/or try to kill you. Just don't mistake them as Norwegian or Danish.


End file.
